Pearl's Quest
by SpaceWonder368
Summary: After the gems fight off with a monster, resulting in which Steven and Pearl get harmed, Pearl gets nightmares of the past and runs off, ashamed of herself. Encountering her evil brother, Ruby, comes into shock that Ruby stated that Pearl made him the way he is. Will Steven, Garnet, and Amethyst help Pearl before its too late? Oneshot. Prequel to Ruby's Vengeance.
1. Chapter 1

Pearl's Quest

A Steven Universe Story

Steven Universe copyright Rebecca Sugar

Ruby, brother of Pearl copyright me

_"Pearl!"_

_"Pearl, come back!"_

_"Pearl, it's going to be okay!"_

_"Come back!"_

Pearl edged around, using her sword to smash through the forest quickly.

She breathed heavily, looking around the landscape.

She _never _wanted this to happen, none of it.

Steven was harmed by a monster, and the gems had to stop it.

Unfortunately, Steven got a scratch, while Pearl was accidentally hit with the monster's crystal.

Ever since then, Pearl's been acting strange...like paranoia.

She tries to isolate herself as much as she can.

_"Pearl!"_

Within this, she ran faster and faster, til there were no more yells of her name.

She sighed, collapsing on her knees and wheezing air.

She rested against a tree, watching the clouds pass through the blue sky.

"Rose...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

She let tears fall down, along with small sobs.

_"Pearl..."_

She gasped, looking around, but doesn't seen anybody.

_"Pearl..."_

That was a real call this time, but it wasn't her gem buds.

It was...someone else.

She pulls out her sword out of her gem, angrily facing the person before her.

"Who's there?"

"Sister..."

Pearl's eyebrows perked up, sister?

She has a sibling?

"Who...what-?"

"Pearl, sister, I have returned..."

Looking back, she finds...a male.

He has red swavy red hair and eyes.

He has light orange skin and an outfit of black with a red gem on his arm.

He summons his weapon, which is a large metal stick.

Pearl shakes her head.

_No._

_Not this again._

"Ruby..."

"Pearl..."

With a rage cry, Pearl smashed her sword with Ruby's stick, both clenching and punching.

"How dare you? You...YOU..."

"I what, Pearl?"

"You...YOU BROUGHT THE MONSTER TO HURT STEVEN!"

"It was only a matter of time..."

"I HATE YOU!"

When the two collided, an explosion occurred.

[Meanwhile]

Steven was startled by the noise as he played video games with Amethyst.

Garnet paid attention too, surprised as well.

Yet she remained her serious and emotionless expression.

"An explosion occurred, is everyone alright?"

Amethyst boomed with excitement.

"I sure am! WOO-HOO! C'mon guys, let's investigate!"

Garnet pulled the back of Amethyst's and Steven's shirts.

"Wait. Not all of us are here."

"Pearl," Steven spoke with concern, rubbing his left arm that has a bandage on it.

"Pearl needs us."

"She's never acted this way before," Garnet stated.

Amethyst nodded.

"Yeah, she's never acted like...-ummmmmm...what do you mean?"

"Yeah," Steven agreed.

"Ever since Pearl's been attacked and so have you, Steven.

She's been afraid of all the past events she has recently.

She doesn't want anyone harmed, but when you got attacked,

she goes protective and doesn't hold back."

After Garnet explained, Amethyst spoke out.

"Are we going to check out that explosion or what?"

Steven jumps up and down.

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Well, we have to."

The three rushed to the forest, finding Pearl unconscious.

...And finding Ruby beside her.

**"PEARL!"**

Steven ran over to her, but stops as he saw Ruby.

"What the-? Who are you?"

"I am Ruby, brother of Pearl, and gem criminal of the galaxy...

You're Steven Universe, are you?"

"Y-Yes...but you got Pearl!

Leave her alone!"

"Why not?"

Garnet, not saying a word, punches Ruby with her gauntlets and crush him to the ground.

"Why did you even choose to make this stupid decision? Why fight us and became a criminal?"

"Very simple Garnet. My sister and I were suppose to have an eternal battle, but, that was gone since we're both gems...and now, I must make this decision...to destroy her for what she's done!"

Amethyst slapped Ruby with her jump rope weapon.

"What has she EVER done to you?"

"She was the cause that I was like this...sure, she 'accidentally' dropped an enchanted crystal on me, but I assure you...

its all her fault...and sure it was relevant of Rose!"

"Rose has nothing to do with this!"

"Leave me mom out of this!"

"Rose, is your mother, Steven? Nice, too bad she gave you her gem, and you can't activate it...

surely, you are-"

POW!

Garnet and Amethyst punched Ruby.

Steven kneeled down to Pearl and tried to wake her up.

"Pearl! Pearl!(shakes her)Pearl! Wake up!"

As Ruby smacked the other gems around, he came for Steven and Pearl.

Steven gasped, hugging Pearl like she was a teddy bear.

"No! No! Get...

GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Some pinkish-magenta color of light bright the area.

Steven has a force field around him and the gem he's holding.

It disappeared as it came clear that Ruby was gone too.

Garnet and Amethyst ran over to them.

"Steven! Are you alright?"

"Steven, that was awesome! How did you do that?"

"I don't know."

"Whatever happens," Garnet began, holding Pearl, "You saved Pearl's life Steven, you saved her from Ruby..."

"Let's bring her home...and watch televison!"

Amethyst said with a chuckle.

They eventually went home, placing Pearl on the bed.

The emotions dwelled between the gems.

Steven was obviously sad what happened to Pearl, but happy she's ok.

Garnet was worried of Pearl, but angered at Ruby.

And Amethyst was confused, of all things, but kept her optimistic attitude.

Pearl groaned, tossing and turning, she places a hand over her face.

"Aw...aw no...wha...wha...?"

She then remembered the fight she had with Ruby, she wasn't done with him.

"RUBY!"

She tried to get up, but she clenched her sides, hissing in pain.

The other gems look in shock.

"Pearl! Take an easy!"

Pearl, still worried, continues struggling to walk.

Garnet placed her down gently.

"Rest, save your strength."

"Wha...? What happened?"

"We found you unconscious by Ruby near the explosion site, he was about to destroy you, til Steven saved you..."

"He...he saved me?"

"Yes?"

Pearl covered her eyes, crying.

"What's wrong Pearl?"

Steven asked with sympathy.

"I'm sorry you have to see me this way...(sniffs)Its just...there had been SO many conflicts with me and Ruby...

(closes eyes)...I'm sorry I failed your mother."

"No, no, no, no, no! Don't say that! You never failed her...and...you...just don't be so down Pearl...

we got your back."

"You do? After what my brother caused?"

"Yes." Amethyst cheered on.

"You're just as important as the rest."

Garnet nodded, placing her hand on Pearl's shoulder.

"We know how you feel, I...Know how you feel."

Pearl smiled and embraced with the gems.

Garnet finally said:

_"You are not alone anymore."_

Hope you enjoy this oneshot, this is something I figured out before the big Steven Universe Fanfic, "Obsidian Pearl."

It will be before the crystal gems met Rose Quartz and before Steven was born.

It is mainly about when Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl met.

It will be focused on them.

I hope I made everyone IN character.


	2. Chapter 2: Darkness In The past

Pearl's Quest

_Part II: Darkness in the past_

_Pearl swayed off her glaive at Ruby, the shard cutting deep into Ruby's arm._

_Ruby grunted in frustration, and smacked her in the head with his weapon. Pearl smeared the blood off of her face, finally knocking Ruby to the ground._

_"You chose this path, sister! It is destiny!"_

_"My ONLY destiny is to wipe you out, for my parents' deaths!"_

_"...Which I caused, but I don't blame them for having their life cut short...might I say that this was all your fault?"_

_Pearl's eyes glistened, and she lowered her glaive._

_Tension and fear build up inside of her, but also guilt. It made her feel shame, the veins in her body felt like it was crushing her._

_"It...it may be...but that doesn't mean I'll stop-"_

_"Wouldn't dream of it," Ruby harshly whispered to her ear, trailing a sickly cackle as he disappeared in thin air._

_"The future is set in stone Pearl, remember that."_

* * *

Pearl gasped awake, the blue light shine on her by the gentle, sky blue curtains and the milky moon that beamed light.

She sighed and closed her crystal blue eyes. The dreams keep coming _back._

Ruby had that encounter with her yesterday, and it left her thinking...HARD.

_Was it just what he said about me was true? Am I really the cause for Ruby's-_

She stopped, hearing the door opening and revealing a concerned Garnet.

"Are you alright?" Her shades were illuminated by the moonlight, as it would be impossible to tell what expression she made.

But, it was downright obvious she was concerned.

"I'm...I'm fine Garnet...please, I don't need your concern-"

"But, that was YOUR brother, wasn't it?"

"I-"

"Pearl," Garnet simply stated, her tone no longer stoic but has envy,

"This is becoming to be a great mystery for us. I know the very day you were having nightmares, and it hurt me...inside."

But _hurt _wasn't a well put description for the way she felt. It made her heart ache with so much sympathy that it might gave her chest pains and heart attacks. It heart wrenched her to see Pearl in such a state.

Pearl gaze at Garnet with surprise. Not _ever _had Garnet changed her tone other than emotionless. It was something even the cruelest people will get astonished about.

It oozed her with her motherly instinct as always. She approached the crimson gladiator and gripped on her hand. They were face to face. With Garnet's shimmering shades and Pearl's shining eyes.

"Everything will get better, I promise."

"As leader, I should not worry about the abstracts of _everything_ getting better...but I will tell you this: I will try my best."

* * *

With succession riding in them, it was time the gems had to visit the newest planet:

Planet Icicle.

The planet, obviously, was covered in _ice _and _snow_.

Icicles stripped from ascend to descend rapidly, and the blizzard was raging from east to west at 45 MPH.

However, the scenery was _breathtaking_.

Steven, oblivious to the dangers of the planet, was happily taking pictures. The excitement forged him to jump up and down like a sugar high child.

"Cool! This planet is cool!"

Amethyst, due to her immaturity, chuckled madly at the boy's comment.

"Oh, I get the joke! Hahahahaha!"

Steven cocked an eyebrow.

"Umm...I don't get it," He said with a sheepish grin.

"Don't worry about it, Steve-O."

An earsplitting roar shake the icy earth to its very doom.

The icicles drop from the icy cliffs of higher ground, and the four all dodged in time to avoid it.

Once the Earthquake starts, it was a telling that the danger was far from over.

An ice serpent emerged from the ground, roaring frost at the team.

As unusual and is always willing to help, Steven zoomed forward to the enemy and used his shield as a weapon, similar to what Captain America does.

It was a simple _bang _that occurred, and that did the trick. But the serpent was already in its biggest, darkest hour.

With a crash, the boy was sent flying and falling into Garnet's arms.

The leader stares at her friends with a stone face expression.

"Go and give him a piece of my mind...," She spoke with menace.

Amethyst summoned her whip and, with all her upper strength, finally knocking the serpent down.

Pearl was beside her, throwing and whacking swords and her glaive at the monster.

The menace was swirling around, and swoosh poor Amethyst around, and tossing her within the ice.

The serpent then launches her to the cold, bone-chilling ocean. Pearl couldn't watch as the frost began freezing her eyes.

She stares in horror and complete awe.

"**AMETHYST!**"

The blizzard was gaining faster with sheer force winds. And Steven, groaning in pain by the monster's attack, Garnet stared at the last gem standing, in disbelief.

Pearl's eyes were fully glowing white, and winds pick up where she was standing.

"Pearl, don't let anger consume you..."

"ANGER CANNOT CONSUME ME, ONLY THE CONDITION OF MY FRIENDS WILL!"

Pearl charged, her glaive forming into two large ones, all aiming at the serpent.

Then, she emits all of her swords. The line of swords finally cutting into the monster.

With so much pressure, the creature exploded.

And, Pearl's anger vansished, leading her to exhaustion.

She ran to the ocean and caught Amethyst and then collapsed onto the snow.

Garnet was now the last one standing, and as leader, she had to get them to safety.

She picks them all up and rushes to the warp pad, leading to home.

"Ruby, you may have disappeared to who knows where, but _mark _my words...

**I. WILL. FIND. YOU.**"

But it was so much more that the Ruby gem can even do.

Much more so, that he can even take over Beach City.

But, let's not dwell on it.

Wherever he is, he'll be waiting to wipe us out...

for GOOD.

* * *

**Yay, I hope I did good on this one. This story was fun to write, especially that certain fight.**

**I will continue part III soon, as long as I can put 'Ruby's Vengeance' there. So enjoy fans!**

**I STILL hope I put everyone IN character.**


	3. Chapter III: Heart Of The Past

Pearl's Quest

_Chapter III: Heart Of The Past_

* * *

Pearl opened her eyes, they downcast right at her memories. The unwilling horror of those memories.

_"You caused all of this madness!"_

She shuts her eyes.

_"Of course Pearl, I thought you would learn by now."_

The visions of her and her brother was bloody, violent, indescribable of what it was or how it became that way.

As much as she tried to pull herself up and together, the unimaginable pain scorched through her like needles. Then, exhaustion finally sinked in.

Her eyes were loosing bright, shiny, and beautiful grace. They were now dulled, and unfocused. She helds her head in pounding pain and layed back down.

Steven slowly opened the door with a worried, yet glad expression.

"Pearl!"

He rushed to her, hugging her as if she was the most important thing in his world.

"I'm so glad you're-"

He paused as a faint groan escape from the other gem's mouth, and he stared at Pearl with an even more worried face.

She was truefully exhausted, beyond so many words. She seems like she doesn't...or couldn't even lift her eyelids.

She struggled to keep them open, on so many, many desires she wished she had to fufill.

"Steven...?" She questioned in a weary town, a weak smile spread across her face, "You're okay...," she ruffled his hair, "Oh Steven...I was so...worried about you...I didn't know how much power I put on myself."

He gazes at her with turmoil. How much _power_? It must of been a LOT.

"...I'm just glad you're okay..."

"Yeah, but...what about you? I mean, you can barely move!"

"Come here Steven, I'll tell you...an old story...from my past."

"Really?" Steven was about to implode with excitement.

"Yes...rather to...show you."

Pearl's gem showed a projection, of her past.

"A long time ago, before you were born...I, on my planet, was suppose to have a never ending battle with my brother...but that all changed..."

* * *

Her voice trails off as her past memories inflict her with the shredded pain enduring it.

_Pearl stared at the glazing ocean, coated with billions of crystals underneath._

_Ruby stared overhead, smirking._

_"Hello sister..."_

_Without a word, Pearl smashed her glaive at Ruby, his blood soaking the weapon._

_Pearl gritted her teeth._

_"You're a monster, you know that?"_

_"Yes...and I know you are one too."_

_"Stop messing with my head! You're insults mean NOTHING!"_

_Her weapon and his weapon clashed against each other, the blade slowly cutting deep into Pearl's skin._

_Pearl stares in horror, anxiety and fear dwell into her instantly. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. Couldn't breath._

_She was frozen among the cruel evil her brother has done._

_An explosion shaked their world with an unstoppable force._

_The flames literally destroyed half of the planet. Everyone there, in that fire, was gone._

_Her family...was gone._

_Anger flashed into her livid eyes and she banged at Ruby with tears stinging her eyes._

_"HOW COULD YOU!?"_

* * *

Steven knew this was bad, but this is worse.

"It's only a matter of time Steven...," Pearl finally said, tilting to the side and closing her eyes, "Before he gets to me..."

Steven know what he must do...

Stop Ruby at ALL costs.

No matter how evil and dangerous he is.

"I won't let him hurt anymore of you guys! I WON'T!"

"Its too late...Steven...please, don't do this," Pearl cupped her hands around Steven's cheeks, "You...are too good to be tampered with...just...please...let Garnet and Amethyst take care of this. My brother will tell everyone of what happened to me...how I was the _mistake _that Ruby became this way...its hopeless."

Steven looks in concern. Pearl was too depressed and hurt to even cooperate. He just gave a small smile.

"Its never hopeless Pearl..."

He left, leaving Pearl to deal with her issues.

That's when determination danced into Pearl, like who she was.

Graceful, determined.

Those words she said to Steven.

_"...With hard work and dedication, you can master the confinds of your gem, and create your own dance!"_

She summoned her weapon, her confidence has returned with a battle ready grin.

"Like so..."


End file.
